Duterte, Marcos Talk, But No Endorsement – Go

President Duterte met with presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Manila over the weekend as arranged by party leaders, Sen. Bong Go revealed on Thursday, March 24.

However, he could not say whether a possible endorsement for the May 2022 elections was discussed as he encouraged the public to wait for an announcement by the Chief Executive.

“The result of the meeting was good. The meeting was lengthy (because) the President was in the mood for a talk. He was talking about 80 percent of the time,” Go said in a chance interview.

Go added that the President shared to Marcos his experience as a Chief Executive. “He gave advice. What he did for the country and hopefully will be continued by whoever the next president is.”

Asked on the probability of having Duterte endorse Marcos’ candidacy, Go said he could not preempt that announcement.

“I can’t speak on behalf of the President… let’s just wait for the President’s formal announcement.”

Go said the meeting was arranged by party leaders, although he did not specify.

Marcos, son and namesake of the late dictator, is running under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, which is part of the UniTeam alliance. His vice presidential candidate is Duterte’s daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, making him the logical choice for the outgoing President, according to some observers.

Duterte made scathing remarks against Marcos last November, describing him as “spoiled” and a “weak leader” with baggage.

However, the PDP-Laban faction under Duterte expressed support for Marcos’ candidacy last Tuesday, March 22, although Communications Secretary Martin Andanar was not sure if this decision also reflected the President’s views.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections said on Thursday it would decide on all the disqualification cases filed against Marcos by late April.

Comelec Commissioner George Garcia said the motions for reconsideration that remain pending before the Comelec were being hastened and that they expect the resolutions to be re-leased by the second or third week of April.

He added that this would still give enough time for a party or individual to elevate the case to the Supreme Court, if they choose to do so.

Marcos and running mate Duterte-Carpio have maintained their lead in pre-election preferential surveys with only about six week left before the May 9 polls.

A non-commissioned survey conducted by data research firm The Issues and Advocacy Center or The Center showed Marcos and Duterte-Carpio still dominating their respective rivals in clear margins as campaign shifts to local elections today.

NUP endorses Marcos

Meanwhile, the National Unity Party has endorsed Marcos’ candidacy and has called on its members to support him in “bringing our country and people to continued prosperity and progress.”

Reggie Velasco, NUP deputy secretary general and spokesman, said over ABS-CBN News that Marcos’ call for unity as the basic strategy for economic recovery, amidst the continuing COVID-19 pandemic and global uncertainties, is consistent and supportive of the group’s primary vision of “one nation, one future” as enshrined in the party constitution.

Rep. Duke Frasco, NUP member, said the statement is being issued on the basis of the majority sentiment from among members of the party. Results of the Pulso ng Pilipino survey conducted from March 7 to 13 showed Marcos leading at 51 percent, which is 30 percentage points above his closest rival Vice President Leni Robredo who got 21percent.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno remained in third place with 10 percent, followed by Sen. Panfilo Lacson in fourth place with eight percent and Sen. Manny Pacquiao in fifth with five percent.

Ed Malay, The Center director, said Marcos dominated in all the regions and had the highest percentage in Mindanao with 55 percent, as against the 11 percent for Robredo. Moreno also posted a better percentage in Mindanao with 12 percent.

He added that Marcos was also the preferred choice in the National Capital Region with 53 percent, in Luzon with 49 percent and in the Visayas with 48 percent.

Robredo came in second in the NCR with 19 percent, 27 percent in Luzon and 26 percent in the Visayas.

In the vice presidential race, Duterte also maintained her lead over her rivals, posting 48.75 percent as against the 25.25 percent of closest rival, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.

Dr. Willie Ong came in third with 10.75 percent, followed by Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan in fourth with eight percent, and Buhay party-list Rep. Lito Atienza in fifth place with 2.5 percent.

Marcos and Duterte also dominated their respective rivals in the latest pre-election surveys done by polling firms Laylo Research, Pulse Asia, Social Weather Stations and Publicus Asia.

Malay explained that if this pattern will hold for the next weeks, it will be the first time in a long while that the country will have a president and vice president from the same team. – With Edu Punay, Evelyn Macairan, Alexis Romero, Gilbert Bayoran